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Monday, January 28, 2013

Today I'm participating in the Re-Introduce Myself Blogfest. It's being hosted by Elise Fallson, Mark Koopmans, Stephen Tremps, and C.M. Brown. The purpose is to reintroduce yourself to people. Sorry this is late I tried to get it out earlier, but had technical difficulties.

So, here goes. Hi! I'm Jessica Salyer. About a year and a half ago I decided to go after a life long dream and write a book. It was mainly because a story kept playing over and over in my head and wouldn't stop, so I decided to write it down before I went insane. A year later I had written my book AWAKENED, which I'm working on editing now. For NaNo this year, I wrote a YA contemporary-spin-on-a-fairytale with my CP, the amazingly talented Kelley Lynn. That book is in the final stages of editing also. I just started a new book which is completely different than my other two, it's more NA.

When I'm not writing, I'm a wife to my own personal hero and a mother to three wonderful children. My day job is a nurse and I've been one for about twelve years. I'm an avid reader and consume books like they're chocolate. And now that I can read on my iPhone, my phone is permanently attached to my hand—just ask my husband.

I started blogging a little over a year ago to document my journey and to network. I've been amazed by the people I've met and the things that I've learned from them. If you would have asked me a year ago if I would be where I am now, editing two books, about to start querying both of them and starting another project, I wouldn't have believed you. The most wonderful change for me though is my confidence. If you asked me a year ago if I was a writer my answer probably would have been no or a very shy yes, now I have no problem... I am a writer.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Happy Wednesday everyone. It's really cold here and there's nothing better I like to do on a cold winter night than to curl up with a good book and I've had a few lately. All three of these I could not put down.

OCEAN KILLS by Jade Hart. Around the world, murderers and rapists pick off the innocent. Killing loved ones, separating families, and ruining lives.

As an eight-year-old girl, Ocean witnessed her family’s massacre and something altered inside her. Twisting her genetic code… unlocking an ability to teleport.

Ocean Breeze was never destined to be normal, especially having been named after air-freshener. She’s a shadow, a ghost—a dark saviour of the innocent. Armed with a switchblade in her bra, and a box-cutter in her pocket, she hunts the filth of the world.

Callan Bliss is a Sydney police officer whose skill-set is far above that of a normal cop. All his fellow officers see is a hard worker who loves to catch perpetrators and surf, but that’s because they don’t know about his past. When Callan arrests a suspicious-looking prostitute, he comes face-to-face with a self-confessed vigilante, and suddenly, his secrets aren’t so easy to keep silent.

Ocean hates the police with a passion, and has no intention of being held captive by a cop, even if he is sexy as hell. Teleporting from under his nose, Ocean hunts her next target—a man responsible for the largest sex ring in South Africa—and now he’s about to die. But she doesn’t count on Callan giving chase, nor the body-quaking lust that consumes them. However, Ocean's dark hobbies take precedence over what her heart wants—her thirst for murdering is killing her too, and not even Callan can save her.The characters are wonderfully flawed and amazingly lovable. The story line is unique and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I literally could not put it down. Ocean's character is multifaceted. She is a character that you grieve, cheer, and weep for; even though essentially what she does is wrong, you can't help but love her for what she does and understand it. Callan's character is completely crush worthy. He knows not everything is black and white and is a perfect combination for Ocean. This story is dark, dangerous and delicious all at once. The only thing not to like... it ends. Can't wait for the next one to come out.

Newly divorced and with his career in jeopardy, Detective Connor Parks takes solace in the arms of a beautiful woman he meets at a bar. The next morning, Claire Fletcher is gone, leaving nothing behind but an address and a decade-old mystery. The address leads to the Fletcher family home where Claire's siblings inform Connor that their fifteen-year-old sister was abducted from a city street ten years ago and is presumed dead. During those ten years, Claire endured the cruel torture and depravity of the man who abducted her. Paralyzed by fear and too ashamed to return to her family, Claire is resigned to her life as Lynn, the identity her abductor forced upon her. Every time she attempts escape or betrays him in the smallest way, someone dies. Even now, her clandestine run-in with Connor Parks may have put his life at risk, as well as the lives of her family. Connor is convinced that not only is Claire Fletcher alive, but that she is also the woman he met at the bar. Driven to see her again, he begins his own investigation, off the clock and without the police department's consent. He is determined to find her and unravel the mystery of her abduction and odd reemergence. But finding Claire Fletcher proves more dangerous than he anticipates. In fact, it may be deadly.

This is another darker book, but the story line is compelling. Claire is a wonderful character that you can't help but root for, even if sometimes you want to smack her. (In the very nicest way of course because of all she's been through) And you can't help but love Conor for the way that he goes after her even when he doesn't understand. The writing is fantastic and pulls you into the story.

REASONS I FELL FOR THE FUNNY FAT FRIEND by Becca Ann.It’s stupid to fall for your brother’s ex. It’s even worse to enlist another’s help to win the ex over. But Brody is desperate and Hayley, his partner in American Sign Language, is more than willing to lend him a few tips.

She’s the school’s matchmaker, and with her bizarre and positive personality, Brody finds her easy to talk to, even about the most awkward situations. Hayley’s tips seem to be working, but as Brody learns more about his matchmaker, he starts finding reasons to spend time with her, and not the girl he thought he was in love with.

But Hayley isn’t ready to fall for anyone. Labeled the “Funny Fat Friend” within her group, her self image makes it impossible for Brody to share his feelings without Hayley shrugging it off as a joke.

Convincing her Brody can, and did, fall for the “Funny Fat Friend” turns out to be harder than simply falling in love.

After both those dark books I needed something light and boy did this deliver. It is a fantastic book about first loves with hilarious characters you can't help but fall in love with. Hayley could be anyone. Even though she's labeled herself as the "funny fat friend" everyone has insecurities and can see themselves in her shoes, and what funny shoes they are. Brody is a complete cutie. I thought it might be a little different coming from a guys perspective but I liked it. It was nice being in Brody's head and seeing his train of thought. And I absolutely loved his reasons and how they were the chapter headings. This book is complete and utter awesomesauce!Have you read these books? On your TBR list? Have a book you loved, let me know.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

A friend of mine is having a really hard time right now. We've all been there. I wrote this poem for her.

I'm Drowning

I'm flailing, sinking, barely staying afloat.
The vortex is sucking, twisting, capsizing my boat.
Blackness consuming, threatening to block out the light.
It's crushing, suffocation, stealing my might.
They keep piling on, things I can't control.
Trying, fighting to steal my soul.
I hang on to the thread that keeps me here.
And rage against the darkness that holds my fear.
One step at a time toward the light I go.
Pushing, pulling, slowly I know.
After the darkness the light is so bright.
I will no longer be, afraid of the night.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Today, instead of my normal author interview, I am happy to announce a book release. On Monday, Becca Ann's book REASONS I FELL FOR THE FUNNY FAT FRIEND came out. I just bought it yesterday and am already half way through it (although the way I'm going I may finish it tonight). It's a fabulous book. It's funny, witty, and wonderfully written. You can relate with the characters and find yourself cheering them on. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a romantic comedy. Side note—this is my 100th post. Yay. I can't believe I wrote that many.

It’s stupid to fall for your brother’s ex. It’s even worse to enlist another’s help to win the ex over. But Brody is desperate and Hayley, his partner in American Sign Language, is more than willing to lend him a few tips.

She’s the school’s matchmaker,’ and with her bizarre and positive personality, Brody finds her easy to talk to, even about the most awkward situations. Hayley’s tips seem to be working, but as Brody learns more about his matchmaker, he starts finding reasons to spend time with her, and not the girl he thought he was in love with.

But Hayley isn’t ready to fall for anyone. Labeled the “Funny Fat Friend” within her group, her self image makes it impossible for Brody to share his feelings without Hayley shrugging it off as a joke.

Convincing her Brody can, and did, fall for the “Funny Fat Friend” turns out to be harder than simply falling in love.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Happy New Year! Hope you all had a very safe and happy new year! And Happy Birthday to my Daughter who's 10 today! (I love you sweetie!)

This is my post for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. It's a group thought up by the ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh. The group posts the first Wednesday of every month and is a wonderful way to support and get encouragement from and for your fellow writers. If you would like to join the group or see the other blogs that participate in it go HERE.

If you've read any of my past IWSG posts before, you know I have a tendency to ride a roller coaster. Somedays I feel good, great even and somedays not so great. There are days when I can say without hesitation 'I'm a writer' and there are days I can't even whisper it. There are days when I sit down with my laptop and my fingers can't move quick enough across the keys and then there are ones where I sit and stare at the blinking curse.

I'm on a high right now. I just got done with NaNo, which I did a collaboration with the super talented Kelley Lynn. It's an amazing book that I'm in love with. It took us 36 days to write 54,000 words. Two weeks to do our first round of edits and after those edits we had just over 60,000 words. Comparatively, my first book took me a year to write the same amount of words and I'm not even done editing it yet.

What this taught me though is how I can write when I really put my mind to it. When I really work at it. When I really try. And it also made me not so afraid of edits. In fact it made me super excited to hop back into edits for AWAKENED and get it done.

So, while I don't make resolutions for the New Year, I decided to make some goals for 2013.

Finish AWAKENED and PRINCESS AND THE THIEF

Query AWAKENED and PRINCESS AND THE THIEF

Write and query PTT

Try to be more active on my blog, I've been a little slacking lately.

Go to a conference (Which I am in May the LDStorymakers!)

How have you been feeling lately? Did you do NaNo? Have goals or resolutions for the New Year? Do anything fun for the New Year?

Hi, I'm YA author, Jessica Salyer. I'm busy writing down the current story in my head and trying hard to be patient while querying. Thanks for stopping by. You can also find me at www.JessicaSalyer.com